Traction-engine.



A. B. HOWARD. TRACTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1909.

85,8979 Patented Mar. 7, 1911 HOVJAB-D, OF VIELLINGTON, KANSAS.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

Application filed March 22, i909. Serial No. 484,983.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ASA B. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVellington, in the county of Sumner and State of Kansas,have invented a new and useful Traction-Engine, of which the followingis a specification.

his the object of the present invention to provide an improvedconstruction of drive mechanism for traction engines and particularlyfor those which are employed in drawing gang plows and similaragricultural implements.

The object aimed at is to provide, in drive mechanism of this class,such a construction and combination of parts as will permit of thetraction engine being turned sharply around at the end of a field sothat time will not be lost in backing the engine until the properposition has been secured for its return over the field.

The invention resides in the combination with the rear axle of an engineof this type, of motor means operatively connected at each end of theaxle for driving the same, when the engine is in actual use, at aconstant rate of speed, and compensating gearing which permits, ofcourse, of rotation of the two ground wheels, supporting the rear axle,at different rates of. speed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of the drivemechanism embodying the invention, the frame being shown as mounted uponan ordinary frame such as is provided beneath traction engines of theclass described, and, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewthrough the mechanism taken in a line with the rear axle of the engine.

In the drawings, the under frame of the engine is indicated in generalby the reference character A and the ground wheels supporting the rearaxle of the engine are indicated by the reference numeral 5, the rearaxle being indicated by the numeral 6 and being sol1d and continuousfrom end to end. The ground wheels 5 are secured, by keys or othersuitable securing means, one at the outer end of a sleeve shaft 7 andthe other at the outer end of a similar shaft 8, the axle or main shaft6 extending through these two shafts 7 and 8 as clearly shown in Fig. 2of the drawings. The sleeve shafts 7 and 8 are journaled in suit ablebearings 9 upon the under frame A of the engine, and keyed or otherwisesecured at the inner end of each sleeve shaft is a bevel gear 10, thesegears being opposed as in the ordinary compensating gearing. A disk 11is secured upon the shaft or axle 6 at a point between the inner ends ofthe sleeve shafts 7 and S and is provided in its periphery with theusual recesses 12 in which are journaled the bevel pinions l8 usuallyemployed in compensating gearing, the pinions being in mesh with thegears 10. Inasmuch as the gearing is of the ordinary form, furtherdescription of the same is not thought to be necessary, it being onlynecessary to state that as usual, the gearing permits of rotation ofeither of the ground wheels 5 at a greater or less rate of speed thanthe other ground wheel.

The upper frame of the engine includes side sills 15 which at their rearends are provided with bearings 16 in which are journaled the ends ofthe shaft or axle 6. At the forward end of each sill 15, there issupported a steam engine or motor embodying the usual cylinder 16 inwhich works the piston 17 which has connection by means of the pitman 18with the wrist pin of a crank disk 19 carried at the corresponding endof the axle or shaft 6, it being understood that this axle or shaft 6 isrotated through the medium of the two engines 16. The engines alsoembody each, a chest 20 in which reciprocates the usual slide valve andthe valve rod thereof is indicated by the numeral 21 and has connectionwith a slide block 22 mounted in suitable slides 23 upon the corresponding sill 15. Connected to each slide block 22, pivotally, is oneend of an eccentric rod 24 which connects with an eccentric strap 25encircling an eccentric disk 26 also secured upon the shaft or axle 6,it being understood that the slide valve of each engine 16 is in thismanner actuated from the rear axle of the engine.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be readilyunderstood that the axle 6, while it may be driven at a constant rate ofspeed, will not be placed under strain when the engine is turning acurve, inasmuch as the compensating gearing establishing connectionbetween this axle and the sleeve shafts 7 and 8 permits of rotation ofthe ground wheels at different relative rates of speed.

It will be seen that this construction permits the use of twoindependent motors which though separately connected to the cranks atthe ends of the integral axle (3, also have their valves moved byeccentrics adjacent their cranks with the result that their strokes mustbe maintained in the position to which they were initially set. If thepower from these engines were directed to the sleeve shafts on the mainwheels, even though the valves were moved thereby, it would often occurthat the cranks would become alined and dead centers would result butthis could never happen with my construction.

What is claimed is A traction engine comprising a frame, sills carriedby the frame and having end portions beyond the sides of the frame,parallel therewith and spaced from the same, a shaft journaled in thesills and lying transversely of the frame, sleeves journaled upon theshaft and journaled in the opposite sides of the frame, a compensatinggearing operatively connecting the shaft with the sleeves, tractionwheels fixed to the outer ends of the sleeves and located in the spacesbetween the sides of the frame and the sills, cranks carried at the endsof the shaft beyond the outer sides of the sills, engines mounted uponthe forward portions of the sills, means including cross heads forconnecting the engines with one of said cranks, yokes carried by thesills and which slidably receive the cross heads, said engines having attheir inner sides slide valves, said sills having guides, blocksslidably mounted in the said guides, means operatively connecting eachblock with one of the slide valves, eccentrics fixed to the shaft beyondthe outer sides of the sills and means operatively connecting theeccentrics with the blocks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ASA B. HOWARD.

WVitnesses:

WVM. H. BURKS, B. E. MAXWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents. Washington, D. C.

